Welch: Amarillo Club tranforms eatery to 'high-energy'

KAREN SMITH WELCH

Saturday

Jun 23, 2012 at 2:26 PM

Most facelifts can be attributed to a desire to look younger. And work going on to update Amarillo Club is no different.

A Western Builders crew has begun work on The Grill in the club, on the 30th floor of the Chase Tower, following a plan by Playa Design Studio, said Scott Bentley, president of the club's board of directors.

"It's going to be more of a high-energy option, if you will - a more casual, social atmosphere, as opposed to the more formal sophistication of the 31st floor," Bentley said.

"It will have a real young, contemporary feel to it."

"Young" apparently is the buzz word.

"Hopefully, it will bring in a younger crowd," General Manager Rick Madrigal said, describing a redesign featuring rich leather wall panels, halogen LED lighting and large 60-inch flatscreens.

A frosted glass wall will divide The Grill and The Wine Room, creating a silhouette of wine bottles.

Bentley said the estimated $250,000 in renovations stems from opinions gathered during focus groups conducted by the club, a membership establishment founded in 1947.

Construction began this month and should be completed in August, when the club will show off the new room in some open-house events.

The first thing you might notice about the new Eddie's Napoli's Italian Restaurant in Canyon is the valet parking, that is, if you go at lunchtime or on Thursday, Friday or Saturday evenings.

Terry McAffrey and Enver "Eddie" Kolenvic created a partnership to open the restaurant at 2301 12th Ave. in Canyon. It carries the same Italian menu as Eddie's Napoli's at Taylor Street and Southeast Seventh Avenue in downtown Amarillo.

"You'll just have to see it. It's amazing in here."

Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. More details can be found at www.eddies napoliscanyon.com.

While the Canyon restaurant opened on June 4, another location begun last fall by Kolenvic is no longer.

Eddie's Italian Bistro & Grill at 4000 W. Interstate 40, east of Western Street, closed last week, said McAffrey, who added that Kolenvic sold his interest in the bistro in December.

The old Marizon apparel storefront on Polk Street now has a new tenant.

Lunch will bring a mixture of Korean and American dishes: Korean barbecue, Asian chicken; hot platters of chicken-fried steak and fried chicken and meatloaf; and a selection of sandwiches.

Mrs. Jeon said the couple intends to open the cafe Monday.

Another Amarillo couple has found success in office outfitting and, well, de-outfitting, I suppose.

Andrea Buxton, owner of Big Star Office Furniture, opened the store to sell a selection of new furniture and resell used furniture she obtains with help from her fiance, Heath Reinert.

"We've been doing lots of bids, and we're moving out some businesses in town that are downsizing and relocating," Buxton said. "We had a family friend that has the same type of business in Denver, and he encouraged us to start one."

Now, you can surf and shop for a variety of items, from books and specialty food items to jewelry and souvenirs.

The site carries pages of archival reproductions you can order of artwork in the museum's collection. On my click-throughs, I found works by such artists as W. Herbert "Buck" Dunton, Gerald Cassidy, Nicolai Fechin, H.D. Bugbee and N.C. Wyeth.

The museum is preparing to open its renovated Pioneer Town next weekend. Read about it on the Arts page, D6.

A recent Lubbock Avalanche-Journal report said the Market Street United location at 50th Street and Indiana Avenue in Lubbock now is open 24 hours.

I asked if 24/7 operation is in the cards in Amarillo. Not now, spokesman Eddie Owens said. But the chain will evaluate possibilities if the test is successful.

The American Bankers Association last month recognized Plains Bancorp. Inc., the holding company for First United Bank, as a top performer.

The May 2012 issue of the ABA Banking Journal ranked Lubbock-based Plains Bancorp 14th on a list of top-performing mid-sized banks in the United States.

The association's analysis ranks federally insured domestic-depository institutions with assets between $1 billion and $10 billion as of Dec. 31.

Interact with Karen Smith Welch at karen.welch@amarillo.com, facebook.com/karensmithwelch or @karen_welch on Twitter.

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